Several of the rookies will be in the mix for major roles this season. Silatolu will move from tackle to guard and challenge for a starting spot while Alexander and Norman should both push for playing time on the Panthers defense. Adamscould push Armanti Edwards off the roster and Nortman will compete with Nick Harris for the punting job.

The Panthers will also have 32 tryout players taking part in their minicamp, which runs through Sunday.

The Panthers had a sneaky good draft, where 4-5 guys could make significant contributions, not including a rookie punter whose job it is to lose. Joe Adams might be Steve Smith 2.0. Defensive improvement could spell trouble for opponents.

beavertonsteve says:May 11, 2012 11:12 AM

I love the new system. Rookie holdouts are a thing of the past

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My thoughts exactly! The lockout sucked, but headlines like this sort of make the whole thing worth it.

jgedgar70 says:May 11, 2012 11:40 AM

Such a refreshing change from not even having 5 minutes of serious negotiation until the day before training camp. I’m ready to see what these new guys can do. Hopefully, all 7 of them can make an impact and reduce the need for Rivera to keep signing every ex-Charger on the market…